The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

LETTERS FROM THE CABALA. 23
presenteth to you this letter, your majesty's heart beth; wherein I may note much, but this at this
(which is an abyssus of goodness, as I am an time, that as her majesty did always right to his
abyssus of misery) towards me. I have been majesty's hopes, so his highness doth, in all
ever your man, and counted myself but an things, right to her memory; a very just and
usufructuary of myself, the property being yours. princely retribution. But from this occasion, by
And now making myself an oblation, to do with a very easy ascent, I passed farther, being put in
me as may best conduce to the honour of your mind, by this representative of her person, of the
justice, the honour of your mercy, and the use of more true and more perfect representative, which
your service, resting as is, of her life and government. For as statues
Clay in your majesty's gracious hands, and pictures are dumb histories, so histories are
FR. ST. ALBAN, Can. speaking pictures; wherein (if my affection be
March 25, 1620. not too great, or my reading too small) I am of
this opinion, that if Plutarch were alive to write
lives by parallels, it would trouble him, for virtue
and fortune both, to find for her a parallel amongst
SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE KING, UPON THE women. And though she was of the passive
SENDING UNTO HIM A BEGINNING OF A HIS- sex, yet her government was so active, as, in my
TORY OF IIIS MAJESTY'S TIMEE.
simple opinion, it made more impression upon
IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY, the several states of Europe, than it received
Hearing that you are at leisure to peruse story, from thence. But I confess unto your lordship,
a desire took me to make an experiment what I I could not stay here, but went a little farther into
could do in your majesty's times, which, being the consideration of the times which have passed
but a leaf or two, I pray your pardon, if I send since King Henry the Eighth; wherein I find
it for your recreation, considering, that love must the strangest variety, that in so little number of
creep where it cannot go. But to this I add successions of any hereditary monarchy, hath
these petitions: first, that if your majesty do dis- ever been known; the reign of a child, the offer
like any thing, you would conceive I can amend of a usurpation, though it were but as a diary
it upon your least beck. Next, that if I have ague; the reign of a lady married to a foreigner,
not spoken of your majesty encomiastically, your and the reign of a lady, solitary and unmarried:
majesty will be pleased only to ascribe it to the So that, as it cometh to pass, in massive bodies,
law of a history, which doth not clutter together that they have certain trepidations, and waverpraises upon the first mention of a name, but ings, before they fix and settle; so it seemeth,
rather disperseth them, and weaveth them that by the providence of God, this monarchy
throughout the whole narration. And as for the (before it was to settle in his majesty and his
proper place of commemoration, (which is in the generations, in which I hope it is now establishperiod of life,) I pray God I may never live to ed forever) hath had these preclusive changes in
write it. Thirdly, that the reason why I pre- these barren princes. Neither could I contain
sumed to think of this oblation, was because, myself here, (as it is easier for a man to multiply,
whatsoever my disability be, yet I shall have that than to stay a wish,) but calling to remembrance
advantage which almost no writer of history hath the unworthiness of the History of England, in
had, in that I shall write the times, not only the main continuance thereof, and the partiality
since I could remember, but since I could ob- and obliquity of that of Scotland, in the latest
serve. Arid, lastly, that it is only for your ma- and largest author that I have seen; I conceived,
jesty's reading. it would be an honour for his majesty, and a
work very memorable, if this island of Great
Britain, as it is now joined in monarchy for the
ages to come, so it were joined in history for the
SIR FRANCIS; BACON TO TEIE LORD CHANCEL- times past; and that one just and complete hisLOR, TOUCHING TIHE HISTORY OF BRITAIN. tory were compiled of both nations. And if any
man think, it may refresh the memory of former
[T MAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, discord, he may satisfy himself with the verse,
Some late act of his majesty, referred to some c, Olim hie meminisse juvabit." For the case
former speech which I have heard from your being now altered, it is matter of comfort and
lordship, bred in me a great desire, and by gratulation, to remember former troubles, Thus
strength of desire a boldness, to make an humble much, if it may please your lordship, was in the
proposition to your lordship, such as in me can optative mood, and it was time that I should look
be no better than a wish; but if your lordship a little into the potential; wherein the hope that
should apprehend it, it may take some good and I received was grounded upon three observations
worthy effect. The act I speak of, is the order The first, of these times, which flourish in learngiven by his majesty for the erection of a tomb ing, both of art, and language; which giveth
or monument for our late sovereign, Queen Eliza- hope, not only that it may be done. but that it